Device for seizing and holding chickens and the like.



A. T. UPTON. DEVICE FOR SEIZING AND HOLDING onmxnns AND THE LIKE.

APPLICATION FILED AUG-19, 1908 Patented Apr. 20, 1909.

ALVA T. UPTON, 01* MOUNT VERNON, ILLINOIS.

DEVICE FOR SEIZING AND HOLDING CHICKENS AND THE LIKE.

Application filed. August 19, 1908.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented April 20, 1909.

Serial No. 449,314.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, ALVA T. UrroN, a citizen of the. United States, residing at Mount Vernon, in the county of Jefferson and State of Illinois, have invented a new and useful Device for Seizing and Holding Chickens and the Like, of which the following is a specification.

This invention has relation to devices for seizing and holding chickens and other fowls or animals, and it consists in the novel construction and arrangement of its parts, as hereinafter shown and described.

The object of the invention is to provide a simple and cheap device of the character indicated which consists primarily of a staff or handle having a head connected therewith and a spring-actuated shaft located within the handle and adapted to be shifted longitudinally therein and fingers pivotally connected with the said shaft and carrying pins which operate in guiding slots provided in the said head. The said fingers are curved toward each other and when closed are adapted to overlap and a tripping mechanism is connected with the said fingers and is adapted at times to hold the same apart against the tension of the spring which operates upon the shaft.

Figure 1 is an elevation of the device partly in section. Fig. 2 is an elevation of a portion of the device, showing the fingers separated. Fig. 3 is an edge view of the head end of the device.

The device consists of the hollow handle or stafi 1, which is provided in its side with an elongated slot 2. The stop 3 is mounted upon the exterior of the said staff 1. The head 4: is connected with the end of the staff 1 and is provided in its sides with the elongated slots 5 which diverge away from each other toward that end of the head 1 opposite to the end thereof which is connected to the staff 1. The said slots 5 are provided at the inner ends of their outer sides with the V notches or teeth 6. The shaft 7 is slidably mounted within the staff 1 and is provided with an angularly disposed end 8 which projects through the slot 2 provided in the said stafl. One end of the coiled spring 9 bears against the pins 10 which pass transversely through the head a and the opposite end of the said spring 9 bears against the end 8 of the shaft 7. The said spring 9 is of helical formation and surrounds the shaft 7. The

1 spring 9 is under tension with a tendency to hold the angular-1y disposed end 8 of the shaft 7 away from the stop 3. The fingers 11 are pivotally connected with that end of the shaft 7 which lies within the head 1 and the said fingers are provided with the pins 12 which lie within the slots 5 provided in the said head. The fingers 11 are curved longitudinally and their outer ends are disposed toward each other and are adapted to overlap when the said fingers are retracted within the head 4. The links 13 are pivotally connected together at their inner ends and at their outer ends are pivotally attached one to each of the fingers 11. One of the links 13 is provided at its rear edge with a lug 1% which is adapted to engage the rear edge of the other link 13, and when in such engagement is adapted to limit the swinging movement of the inner ends of the said links toward the outer ends of the fingers 11.

The device is operated as follows :-An operator moves the angularly disposed end 8 of the shaft 7 toward the stop 3 against the tension of the spring 9. Such movement of the shaft 7 projects the fingers 11 beyond the end of the head 4, and as the pins 12 carried by the said fingers 11 move along the angularly disposed slots 5 provided in the said head the outer ends of the fingers 11 are swung apart and at the same time the links 13 are swung into virtual alinement with each other and into transverse relation to the said fingers whereby the lug let is brought into contact with the rear edge of that link 13 to which it is not attached, and thus the said links form a lock which hold the fingers 11 apart against the tension of the spring 9. The operator then advances the device so that the fingers 11 are passed along the opposite side of the leg of a chicken or other fowl or animal, and when the links 13 come in contact with the side of the leg of the fowl or animal the lock established between the links 13 is broken. That is to say the inner ends of the said links are swung toward the head 4 and as the fingers 11 are thus relieved of support the tension of the spring 9 comes into play and the shaft 7 is moved longitudinally within the staff 1 and the outer ends of the fingers 11 are brought together and overlap around the leg of the fowl or animal. Thus the fowl or animal is grasped by the device and securely held without discomfort or injury. lVhen the fingers retract, as described, the pins 12 engage the teeth 6 and form a lock, so that the fingers cannot move out of the head t until they are first forced toward each other, to disengage the pins 12 from the teeth 6.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new, and desire to secure by Letters Patent, is

l. A device as described comprising a hol- 10W staff, a head attachedto the staif and provided with angularly disposed slots, a, shaft mounted for longitudinal movement with relation to the head and staff, fingers pivotally connected with the said shaft, pins carried by the fingers and which lie within the slots provided in the head and toggle links pivotally connected together and pivotally connected with the fingers and a spring secured to the head and shaft to retract the shaft and move the fingers in the head.

2. A device as described comprising a hollow staff, a head attached thereto and provided with angularly disposed slots having at their outer sides teeth, a shaft mounted for longitudinal movement within the staff, a spring interposed between the staff and the shaft, fingers pivotally connected with the shaft, pins carried by the fingers and lying within the slots provided within the head and adapted to engage the teeth, and toggle links pivotally connecting the said fingers together. V

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto affixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

ALVA T. UPTON. Vitnesses:

A. E. Fnos'r, J. 0. SMITH. 

